Messages

1

Job Postings / Non-Union ASM for OnSite Opera

« on: Apr 08, 2016, 09:54 am »

Hi there awesome community of SMs,

I'm looking for an ASM to join our stage management team for an English production of The Marriage of Figaro with OnSite Opera in New York City from May 31 through June 17 (with very unlikely, but still possible, extension to the 24th): http://onsiteopera.com

OnSite Opera is an experimental opera company that takes classic operas and performs them in site specific areas. This performance will be at 632 on Hudson.

The stipend for the entire period is $700 and I can be a little flexible with dates during rehearsal, although tech week and the show run are required attendance.

Responsibilities include: prepping rehearsal room for rehearsal, overseeing props, wrangling singers, assisting with blocking, loading in and out the show, and possibly overseeing entire rooms on your own during the performance.

Ideal candidate is patient, calm under pressure, reads music and has previous stage management experience. Opera and/or site specific performance experience a plus.

This should be a really fun project and you'll get to work with a lot of really talented people from the opera world among the cast and creative team.

Please respond with a resume and cover letter before 4/15/16 to Melissa at figaropsm@gmail.com - I'm a lot more likely to respond to you through there than a PM through the boards here.

2

Employment / Worst Job Offers?

« on: Jan 07, 2016, 04:58 pm »

Hi there,

I'm working on a blog article about the worst jobs you've ever done in the arts. The point of the article is to get younger stage manager and performers to think about what they're really being offered when they take a gig. I plan to write about my own experiences, but I was hoping to include other stage manager's as well. If any of you are willing to share a story, I'd love to include it. It can be anonymous too, if you prefer.

A bad example is: "Man, I could tell you stories about the horrible pay, long hours, super unsafe working conditions with some of the show I have worked."

A good example is: "I was a rehearsal pianist and one time I worked for three hours of accompanying auditions for a Subway sandwich coupon. Not a sandwich. A coupon for a discount on a sandwich."

Thanks!

3

Tools of the Trade / Re: Books Books Books

« on: Dec 12, 2014, 06:45 pm »

I'm definitely part of team Lawrence Stern. His book was my college text book and I still use it as a reference point.

A few that aren't stage management related but really helped me as a stage manager were:
The Art of Speed Reading People by Paul Tieger & Barbara Barron-Teiger
Please Understand Me II by David Keirsey
The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey by Kenneth Blanchard

4

Tools of the Trade / Re: [FAQ] What goes inside a SM Kit?

« on: Jul 16, 2014, 02:30 pm »

I actually wrote a post on my blog about how to stock a lot of items in your kit on a budget - I thought it might help out some of the younger stage managers just starting out: http://brokegirlrich.com/?p=876

5

Job Postings / Stage Manager for Ringling Brothers

« on: Jun 23, 2014, 10:29 am »

Associate Production Manager (which in circus speak is a cross between ASM/SM) for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus

This is actually my old job. I highly recommend it to YOUNG stage managers looking for touring experience. The hours are pretty grueling and along with your stage management duties you'll have to do a lot of PR events, but it's certainly an interesting job. And you get to live on a train.

 http://offstagejobs.com/jobdetail.php?jobID=26051

The description is actually a little off. You don't really do much with the Stage Manager (circus speak for Technical Director). You do not coordinate child labor permits. There's also an additional position, the Event Coordinator, who handles a lot of the PR stuff, you just have to supervise them.

6

The Hardline / Re: AEA: E-Cigarettes

« on: Jan 25, 2014, 11:23 am »

The show is at City Center in NY.

And just to sort of round out the topic in case it comes up if someone searches it one day. The rep for our show confirmed that Pure brand is currently the only permitted e-cigarette brand since it's the only one they've done a study on.... which is a pain because the tip does indeed glow blue.

7

The Hardline / AEA: E-Cigarettes

« on: Jan 23, 2014, 05:37 pm »

Does anyone know any of the guidelines related to the use of e-cigarettes in performances?

Our theater was cited by Equity a year or so ago for using them because they weren't Pure brand, which we were told is the only acceptable brand. The props guy lied to us and now here we are, a few shows later, hoping to avoid that same issue - and hoping that Equity has since expanded what they will accept, since Pure e-cigarettes now have a blue light on the end of them instead of a red one.

I've tried searching but haven't been able to find anything about it yet. Does anyone else have experience with this? 

8

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Wedding Proposal on Stage

« on: Jan 17, 2014, 01:43 pm »

A company I worked for also did them before the top of the show - there was a pre show sort of thing before hand and it would occur in the space between that ending and the top of the show.

My Production Manager HATED doing them. She was always convinced the person was going to say no and really, that's kind of rough to recover from.

On the flip side, about 6 months ago, we held the top of the show for about 3 minutes so that one of the performers could propose to his girlfriend backstage. Fortunately, she said yes ;o)

9

Employment / Re: Non-Theater lady looking to work in touring Theater

« on: Nov 17, 2013, 05:56 pm »

If you're just starting to build theatrical experience, have you looked at smaller tours like children's and educational theater? They are where lots of people seem to start. Companies like ArtsPower, Two Beans Productions or Chamber Theater Productions (and there's another one that somehow has Food in the title, but I can't remember it... it's driving me crazy) might be willing to take a gamble on you if you structure your cover letter to emphasize your organizational and live performance experience. Dinner theater is another area to gain some entry level theatrical experience before trying to hit the road.

10

Employment / Re: "To Whom It May Concern"

« on: Sep 08, 2013, 03:31 am »

Honestly, LinkedIn is sort of a godsend for this. It will let you find people's positions, so you could at least make an educated guess about who will be reading your resume (and what their gender is - should you ever apply to BayAreaSM's theatre ;o). It will also pop up if you have anyone in common with the company, which is nice to know. I was recently applying for a job and an old cast member I'd worked with a few years ago popped up as having a connection to that company. I shot her a message and she was cool with me name dropping her in my cover letter... and talking about her was the ice breaker during the interview.

11

Employment / Re: Has anyone worked for the Omaha Theater Company?

« on: Jul 11, 2013, 03:10 am »

You're right, the theater is The Rose, which I checked out as well. Thanks for the help!

Edited because I'm a dork and just dug a little myself and found both the BTDT and intern search areas. Thanks again!

12

Employment / Has anyone worked for the Omaha Theater Company?

« on: Jul 09, 2013, 02:25 pm »

I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with the Omaha Theater Company?

I've Googled them and checked out their website, but was wondering if anyone had any other info about the place. Of course, the job posting for Resident Stage Manager had no pay scale mentioned, so even anyone who can give me a clue about what a decent wage in Nebraska would be, would be helpful. I've searched cost of living to get a clue, but I don't know how accurate it is. I gather it costs less to live there than NJ.  A search of these boards seems to have no mention of the company at all.

I have an interview with them at the end of the week, so any info at all would be fantastic. Thanks so much!

13

Employment / Re: What are you looking for in the next job>

« on: Jun 21, 2013, 04:14 pm »

Lady, seems like you might actually like working for somewhere like a cruise ship then. You should check out some of their websites to see what their employment requirements are.

14

Employment / When the job doesn't live up to your expectations...

« on: Jun 21, 2013, 04:13 pm »

Ok, I'm betting this topic may already exist, so I apologize if I'm irritating a mod, but I couldn't find it.

What do you do when your job doesn't live up to both your expectations and the description you were given of it? I could be looking at this from the wrong point of view, but I feel like if I were a potential employer, I wouldn't want to see someone who bounces around a lot (and I mean this more in reference to the larger, more commercial companies that tend to keep people for a while as opposed to the fantastic, but usually far poorer paying artistic or one off companies). How long do you feel you should commit to something that is just not a good fit before moving on? Both because I feel awkward explaining to potential employers about a short stint somewhere (currently about 7 months) and, as unhappy as I am with the job, I don't want to leave the group here in a difficult position.

I spent about 5 years out with a cruise line and left when I realized I was getting pretty "institutionalized." I wanted to try something new and stretch some SM muscles that hadn't been used in years. I was looking for an opportunity to grow. So I moved in an entirely new direction to work with the circus. Previously, I had run all of the entertainment venues, technicians, casts and guest entertainers on decent sized ship (2000+ passengers) in a role that was essentially a TD, PSM and Production Manager combined. And I enjoyed it. I was just warn down all the additional duties that come with ship life. After describing the extent of my responsibilities there to my new employer, they told me I was a good fit for the Associate Production Manager position here. However, 70% of my job is PR, which I was specifically told I'd have nothing to do with during my interviews. Another 25% is wandering around, being helpful to anyone I find needs a hand and trying to find ways to stay busy. The other 5% are actually Production Manager duties that I enjoy doing.

Is it acceptable when asked why you want to leave a job to tell the General Manager that you're bored out of your mind (which of course would not be the exact wording I'd use)? I was hoping to be challenged, but this job does not provide that. I also really, really hate PR. My previous job included occasional events, which was fine, but it being 70% of my job is sort of ridiculous to me. Especially without being told that coming in.   

Maybe I just needed to vent to some other like-minded individuals to get their take on it. My boyfriend also came over from ships to work here as a musician and loves it. He sort of brushes me off when I complain about the large pay cut and quadrupling of my hours. And, as I mentioned, despite all this disenchantment, I don't actually want to leave the people on the unit. They're a great group of people to work with, just the structure of this company is a little underwhelming. I also spent a long time trying to convince myself that maybe going from running things to being an assistant just requires some well deserved humbling.

I have no idea anymore really... has anyone else had a similar experience or run the same gamut of emotions?

15

Employment / Re: What are you looking for in the next job>

« on: Jun 10, 2013, 01:37 am »

I would love to just not have to travel for work. I've spent the last year living on a train and the five before that living on a cruise ship. I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything, but they have pretty severely limited my contacts to just other people who work cruise ships and circus. I really miss theater - it could be straight plays or musicals.

I think my dream job would be to PSM for a residential company - preferably in or near the tristate area, so I could actually see my family and friends once in a while - that pays a living wage.